Book Summary
I received a copy of this picture book from Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.
Amy is thrilled when she learns that a new student named Lin has joined her class at school. She tries several ways to make him feel welcome, but Lin stays quiet. After school, Amy sees Lin with his family and realizes that he speaks Mandarin Chinese . Amy asks her mom if they can invite Lin to their dumpling making party that evening to help his entire family feel welcome. With some help from her grandma, Amy works hard to create a welcome banner using the Chinese symbols that Lin will understand. Still, when Amy tries to say the words, she feels shy and realizes thats how Lee must have felt the entire day. As Amy begins to feel discouraged, Lee points to the dumpling table and together they create something that doesn’t require language.
Why I love this story:
I love Amy Wu and the Warm Welcome by Kat Zhang for so many reasons. First, it is a perfect classroom read when introducing new students from other counters. Second, I love how the community comes together to welcome a new family into the area. Third, my students love the same bright illustrations by Charlene Chua including the cuddly but mischievous kitten that is always in the story. Charlene also did a fantastic job of showcasing diversity within the classroom and the families who attended the dumpling making party. Finally, the back matter includes ideas for how children can create their own welcome banner. A lovely and inclusive story that should be in every classroom and home library.
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